(a) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a system for providing a signal to indicate that a fish has taken the fishing line while fishing with a rod and reel. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a device for holding a fishing rod and providing a signal when a fish takes the line.
(b) Discussion of Known Art
In the sport of ice fishing a fisherman will walk to a location over a frozen body of water and drill a hole through the ice to access the liquid water below the ice. As is expected, the water in the lake or area being is much colder than during summer months, and may even be at or very close to freezing temperatures. Because of the low temperatures of the water, the activity of the fish that inhabit the lake will have slowed down significantly due to the fact that fish are cold blooded animals. The low activity or almost lethargic state of fish in these waters makes detection of nibbling or similar fish activity very difficult. The fish may simply take the bait in their mouths and gently hold it there until they garner enough appetite or desire to actually bite down on or swallow the bait. Accordingly, this activity is nearly undetectable to the fisherman waiting on the ice above. Moreover, the fact that the fish do not bite down on the bait, but merely hold it in their mouths and then gently drift or move away from the location where found the bait, it is important to note that any sudden pull or jerk of the line will cause the bait, together with the hook, to fall out of the fish's mouth. Of course, this will mean that the fisherman will have missed the opportunity to let the fish take the bait and hook deeper into its mouth, to a location where the fisherman can finally set the hook and begin reeling the fish in.
There are a number of devices which produce some sort of signal when the fish has struck. Typically, these devices rely on the sharp tug that is experienced when a fish takes the bait under normal conditions. Under "normal conditions" being at times when the water is not cold enough to cause fish activity to slow down. Under these conditions the fish will eagerly take the bait to keep the bait food from other fish who may also be competing for food. This kind of activity results in vigorous tugging on the fishing line. The tugging is used to activate alarm mechanisms such as the signaling device taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,302,337 to Mantell. The Mantell device produces flashing signals in response to the flexing of the fishing rod caused by the vigorous tugging of the fish.
Many other devices use systems that mount on the fishing rod itself and which can disturb the weight distribution of the fishing rod and reel combination. Additionally, attachment directly to the rod can lead to fouling of the line while casting or reeling the line in. Examples of devices that attach to the rod are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,719 to Rabino, U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,228 to Meissner, U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,180 to Foster et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,726 to Zepeda, Sr., Des. U.S. Pat. No. 281,805.
A review of these devices reveals that there remains a need for a device that aids fishermen in knowing when a fish is grasping or playing with the bait, the device not being mountable on the fishing rod itself, thereby preventing the fouling or imbalance of the fishing tackle.
There remains a need for a system that allows fishermen, and particularly ice fishermen, to detect when a fish is taking the bait. There remains a need for a device that allows the fish to gently grasp the bait, then swim away with the bait, while providing a signal to the fisherman that the fish is swimming away with the bait.
There remains a need for a signaling device that provides a signal without requiring that the fish tug vigorously on the fishing line.
There remains a need for a signaling device that allows the fish to swim away with the baited line while providing a signal as the fish swims away, and thus allowing the fisherman the opportunity to decide when to tug on the line to sink the hook into the fish's mouth.
Still further, there remains a need for a signaling device that does not require modification or attachment to the fishing pole or rig.